PPM Section 350-96

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Policy and Procedure Manual

Chapter 350, Supplies and Equipment
Section 96, Funding for Major Repairs of Scientific Research Equipment
Approved: 6/25/93
Supersedes: 350-95, 10/15/92

Responsible Department: Office of Research
Source Document: N/A

I. Purpose

This policy provides a means of protecting departments against the full cost of unanticipated failure of shared-use scientific research equipment with an acquisition cost of $75,000 or more. Procedures allow immediate action so as to hold equipment downtime to an absolute minimum.

II. Policy

A. General

The campus administration will fund costs over the first $1,500 for repairs required because of the catastrophic failure of scientific research equipment. The department that is assigned the equipment is responsible for paying the initial $1,500 of repair or replacement cost.

B. Eligibility

1. The Facility for Advanced Instrumentation (FAI) shall maintain a list of equipment that is eligible for funding under this policy. (See also Section 350-95, Sharing of Scientific Equipment.) Eligible equipment shall meet the following criteria:

a. The equipment must be used for research and have an acquisition value of $75,000 or more.

b. Title of the equipment must be vested with The Regents of the University of California.

c. The equipment may not be covered by a service contract that provides for repair or component replacement.

d. The equipment must be shared-use equipment. Shared use shall normally be demonstrated by:

1) Establishment of an approved recharge rate for general campus use (see Sections 340-15, Rates, and 340-10, Establishment of Service Activities), and

2) Departmental records (such as user logs or recharge invoices) showing that, during the most recent complete fiscal year of operation, the equipment was used during at least 10% of normal working hours (weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) by secondary users (as defined in Section 350-95). Records shall include the names and affiliations of all primary and secondary users; date and time of use; and a measure of amount of use, such as film count, running time, or recharge revenue.

The Vice Chancellor--Research may accept alternative compelling evidence of shared use on an exceptional basis.

2. To be eligible for funding under this policy, the repairs or component replacement must be needed because of unanticipated failure of the equipment. Normal, predictable repair or maintenance costs are not eligible.

3. Repairs by external vendors shall be funded only if it has been determined that the equipment cannot be repaired by the service personnel of FAI, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory (CNL), or Technology Advancement & Resources.

C. Approval authority

1. The Director of FAI is authorized to approve funding requests of less than $10,000.

2. The Vice Chancellor--Research is authorized to approve funding requests of $10,000 or more.

III. Procedures

Responsibility	Action
Department head or principal investigator	1. Requests FAI to add equipment to the list of instruments eligible for funding under this policy. 2. Has equipment examined by FAI, CNL, or Technology Advancement & Resources service personnel before contracting with an external vendor for repairs. 3. Submits written request to FAI for funding in excess of first $1,500, certifying that all conditions of this policy have been met. NOTE: FAI may give conditional verbal approval in an emergency.
Director of FAI	4. Verifies that equipment is eligible for funding. 5. If equipment is eligible, promptly approves funding, or obtains approval of Vice Chancellor--Research for amounts of $10,000 or more.
Vice Chancellor--Research	6. Informs Budget Operations Section, Planning & Budget Office, when expenditures of $10,000 or more are authorized.
FAI	7. Submits request for reimbursement to Budget Operations Section by June 30 of each year.
Budget Operations Section	8. Provides replacement funds to FAI.

IV. Further Information

For further information, contact the Director of FAI, 752-0284.